You’d think that while living in foreign country it would be easy to become tired of traveling. But like almost everything, the unusual becomes normal again. The sights that once interested me have gained a film of normality to them. The numerous Irish accents and the slang that often accompanies them, I no longer really notice.

So in order to find that sense of newness, that urge to explore, I needed to travel. And Ireland is perfect for that because of how cheap the flights are and being in Europe. After some vague skimming, me and my best friend found that flights to Edinburgh were ridiculously cheap and booked it on a whim. We found a cute hostel only ten minutes from Old Town. It turned out to be an amazing trip. The first day we rushed and tried to get all of the touristy things done, seeing the Edinburgh Castle, Camera Obscura, and the Edinburgh Dungeons. The next day we went to Loch Ness on a boat tour that traveled through the highlands of Scotland, which were gorgeous. The rest of the trip we just idly explored and did whatever struck our fancy. We climbed Arthur’s seat, a dormant volcano right in the middle of Edinburgh and saw amazing expanses of the city, which made the steep climb worth it. Edinburgh is a gorgeous hilly city, so we’d climb upon one of the many staircases and then glance back to see an amazing view, but Arthur’s seat was the best view. And then getting to hang out with my best friend for five days created some of my favorite memories. However, by the last day, I was happy to be back in Ireland.

There is some truth in the saying that distance makes the heart grow fonder. What had been becoming the same-old Maynooth now has a sense of familiarity that isn’t unwelcome. Maynooth and the people in it are a comfort and it’s home. But in order to appreciate it, it’s nice to take a step away once and a while.